Twin Falls, ID: SPED numbers on the increase; more kids "with severe needs or behavioral issues"

Mar 31, 2018, U.S. News: Idaho Schools Grapple With Special Education Growth https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/idaho/articles/2018-03-31/idaho-schools-grapple-with-special-education-growth South-central Idaho faces a multitude of challenges with educating students who have special needs. The region has seen Idaho's largest increase in the number of students who require special education services, and more children are coming in with severe needs or behavioral issues. ... Several south-central Idaho schools — including in Twin Falls, Jerome and Cassia County — are seeing a growing number of special education students, and more of those students have severe needs or behavioral issues. Though they make up a small fraction of the total number of students who need special education services, the number is increasing. That's a trend being felt across Idaho and nationwide. There are many theories about why that's the case, said Charlie Silva, special education director for the Idaho State Department of Education. One possible explanation is improved medical services for children, including premature babies, which allows the children to live longer and reach school age. "As a society, as we have become more sophisticated with technology and medical procedures, we have kids who are now coming to us who could have significant medical needs that maybe 10, 20, 30 years ago, the survival rate wasn't there." At Harrison Elementary School in Twin Falls, special education teacher Amy Kenyon has seen her caseload double in the past 17 years. She used to have student numbers hovering in the mid-20s. Now, she has more than 50 students.